


Kylo Ren and the Firebird

by darktensh17



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Curses, Injury, M/M, Magic, Shape Shifter Hux, Temporary Character Death, Theft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 17:55:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28835223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darktensh17/pseuds/darktensh17
Summary: When a thief begins stealing the priceless golden apples from Supreme Leader Snoke's orchard, it's Kylo Ren who discovers the true nature of the thief. The discovery of the Firebird leads him to a quest to capture the creature for Snoke. In the end it's Kylo's heart which gets captured by the Firebird who is more than it appears.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren
Comments: 13
Kudos: 58
Collections: AU/Adjacent Zine





	Kylo Ren and the Firebird

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DarthAstris](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarthAstris/gifts).



> Written for the Kylux Au zine. I worked with the wonderful [DarthAstris](https://twitter.com/DarthAstris) who created art for this. Link to art will be posted later.
> 
> The story is based on the Russian firebird tale.

Once upon a time there was a land ruled by a man who called himself Supreme Leader Snoke. Snoke was a mystic known to have strange powers who had no children of his own but did have seven apprentices, all of whom shared his skills in the dark arts. These apprentices were known as the Knights of Ren, they wore dark armour, black as night, and fierce helmets used to strike fear into the hearts of their enemies. Each knight was as skilled in the dark arts as the others but in different ways. Because of this Snoke had yet to choose a leader for the Knights, and by extension an heir to his kingdom, from amongst them.

Snoke and the Knights lived in a grand citadel surrounded by a large town. The citadel housed a beautiful orchard at its center featuring the most exotic of fruit trees, but nothing compared to the apple tree which bore pure golden apples. Above all other possessions he owned, the golden apples were Snoke’s most coveted.

It happened that one day while walking in the orchard Snoke discovered that a thief had been getting into the orchard and stealing his precious golden apples. Furious, he sent his private guards, the praetorian guards, to catch the thief. Night after night they stood guard but to no avail, they could not catch a glimpse of the thief.

In a rage, Snoke set a terrible curse upon the kingdom; crops browned, cattle died, children took sick, and the young began to wither and grey. It appeared that all life was being sucked out of the land and people. The curse would only be lifted once Snoke was appeased by the capture of the thief. He called to his apprentices, gathering them before him. “You, my apprentices, are my last hope, whosoever catches the thief will be leader of you all, Master of the Knights of Ren, and will become my heir.”

Snoke would give each of his apprentices an equal chance at capturing the thief. Vicrul came forward first. Known to be the harvester and reaper of souls, he used the death of his victims to power his dark skills. He went off to the orchard, but although he arrived there quite early in the evening and walked about for some time, he saw no one. He lay down in the grass and kept his eyes on the tree, without realizing it he soon fell asleep. The next morning, he returned to kneel before Snoke.

“Well, have you good news for me? Did you see the thief?”

“No, Master,” Vicrul answered. “I did not sleep all night; I did not even close my eyes. But I saw no one."

Displeased, Snoke sent him away and called upon his next apprentice, Cardo, who created wide swathes of destruction when dealing with his enemies. But he, too, slept all night, and next morning he told his master that he, too, had seen no sign of a thief, although he had not closed his eyes.

This continued night after night as Snoke sent each of his apprentices into the orchard to catch the thief: Trudgen, who collected of trophies from past conquests and incorporated them into his armour; Ushar, who had a reputation for forcing his prisoners to grovel for mercy; Kuruk, the most solitary of the Knights with a reputation for precision and focus; and Ap'lek, who reveled in deception and strategy, employing feints and misdirection to trap an opponent. All of them failed until there was only one left, Snoke's newest apprentice, Kylo Ren.

“You are the last hope I have for catching this thief. Succeed and you will be given the title of Master of the Knights of Ren and become heir to my kingdom.”

Kylo Ren bowed before Snoke, “By the grace of your training, I will not fail.”

“Go.”

So anxious was Kylo Ren about failing and disappointing Snoke, that he was afraid to sit, let alone lay down. When he felt he was getting drowsy he would hit himself hard in the stomach, and this made him wide-awake again. About halfway through the night he thought he saw a light in the orchard. It grew brighter and brighter, until all the trees were lit as though night had become day. With wide eyes he saw that the light was coming from a creature, a Firebird that set itself delicately amongst the branches of the apple tree to peck and eat the golden apples.

Drawing upon his dark powers, Kylo muffled the sound of his footsteps and reached out to grab hold of the bird by its tail. At his touch, the Firebird let out a screech and spread its wings to fly away, and Kylo managed to hold on to only a single, glowing feather.

The next morning, he was called to report before Snoke.

“Well, Kylo Ren, did you apprehend the thief?”

“Supreme Leader,” Kylo bowed his head, “I did not catch the thief, but I have discovered the identity of it.” He held out the brilliant, glowing feather to Snoke. “I have brought this proof; the feather belongs to the tail of a Firebird.”

Snoke took the feather and examined it thoughtfully. He knew a great deal about Firebirds and their uses toward magic; he also knew of their ability to reincarnate. Kylo Ren’s discovery gave him much to think about.

For the days and nights that the curse upon the kingdom abated, Snoke thought about what to do about the Firebird. Finally, one day, he called all his apprentices to the throne room. “My dear apprentices. You will saddle your horses, ride forth into the world, and find me the Firebird. Bring back to me any information you can. The apprentice who finds and captures the Firebird will be my heir.”

Bowing their heads, the apprentices did as they were told; donning their terrifying masks, each scattered in a different direction to find the Firebird. It was astride his black steed, Silencer, that Kylo Ren rode directly to the south. He rode near and far, high and low, across rivers and up mountains, until he came upon a wide green meadow.

In the meadow stood a pillar, upon which the following words were written: “Whosoever goes from this pillar on the road straight before him will be cold and hungry. Whosoever goes to the right side will be safe and sound, but his horse will be killed. And whosoever goes to the left side will be killed himself, but his horse will be safe."

Kylo was an intelligent man; he had been raised with the finest of educations and had grown up watching and listening to the intrigues and deceptions of the court. After reading the inscription Kylo turned to the right, but not without first removing the riding gear from Silencer. The inscription was as much a riddle as a warning; if he did not bring his horse then it could not be killed. And so, after freeing Silencer and setting him off toward the safer road, Kylo turned to the right path. Though he would be on foot for some time, he could get another horse later; he would not risk the life of his beloved Silencer, and he needed strength to accomplish his task.

He travelled one day, then a second, then a third and a fourth. Eventually, he entered a large forest and an enormous black wolf jumped out from between the trees snarling at him. “Ah, so it’s you, the youngest of Snoke’s apprentices, Kylo Ren! You saw the inscription on the pillar and took a chance that you could bypass the riddle. But how do you know I did not eat your horse, or that I will not still eat you?”

“I believe that Silencer has escaped, after all why would you go after and attack a horse, and then come back to stalk me? If it were that you wished to simply kill me you would have done so.” Kylo felt no fear as he faced the wolf. If it were to attack him then he would fight it to the death.

The wolf seemed to grin, pleased at his answer. “You are right, I did not kill your horse, but you are wrong in that you could circumvent the riddle without punishment.” The wolf lunged forward and grabbed Kylo’s bag, tearing it from his hands and running off with all of Kylo’s supplies.

Kylo Ren screamed after the wolf and in his anger damaged several trees with his sword, leaving him breathless, after. With nothing to do he continued his journey, able to only eat what little he could forage or hunt. He walked day after day, until he was weak and exhausted. He was close to collapse when the wolf appeared to him again.

“I feel sorry for you, Kylo Ren. You are exhausted from walking because you chose to save your horse. You are thirsty and hungry because I stole and ate your provisions.” The wolf circled him; its manner unthreatening. “Tell me why you have travelled so far and where you are going.”

Staring at the wolf, Kylo felt a pull to it; despite what it had done to him, he found himself trusting it. “I was sent out by my master, Supreme Leader Snoke, in search of the Firebird.”

The wolf laughed, though not cruelly. “You could have searched for a thousand years and even with the exact information would not have found the Firebird, for only I know where it is. Since I have inconvenienced you so, I will now serve you faithfully. Get on my back and hold tight.”

Hesitantly Kylo seated himself atop the black wolf, grabbing his fur and holding on tight. The wolf ran off into the forest, ignoring the path; he ran past mountains and rivers, through fields and forests, until they came upon a very large castle which looked to be quite the fortress.

It was there the black wolf had Kylo dismount and told him the following, "Listen to me, and remember what I say. Climb over the wall and do not be afraid; all the guards are asleep. In the tallest tower you will see a large window; in the window hangs a golden cage, and in that cage is the Firebird. Keep your mask on and do not speak to the Firebird.”

Doing as he was told, Kylo climbed over the high wall, he scaled the tower and went into the room. Just as the wolf had said, the guards lay sleeping, slumped against the door. And, just as he had been told, hanging before the attic window was a large, golden cage. Inside of it sat not the Firebird Kylo had seen in Snoke’s orchard, but a beautiful young man with hair the colour of the Firebird’s feathers. The young man within the cage sat atop a golden swing and lazily pumped his legs to make it move, and in one delicate hand rested a single golden apple.

Kylo couldn’t help but gasp, surely this gorgeous man could not be the Firebird which had snuck into Master Snoke’s orchard? But how else could he be holding one of Kylo’s master’s prized golden apples?

The sound of his gasp pulled the young man’s attention away from where he was staring out the window. “What manner of creature are you?!” He cried in alarm, stopping his swinging and curling up defensively, terrified of Kylo’s fierce mask. “Why have you come here?”

Mindful of what the wolf had told him, Kylo said nothing as he approached the cage and pulled out the feather he’d plucked from the Firebird’s tail, holding it out for the young man to see.

“Oh, it’s you,” the young man -- nay, the Firebird -- said, not reaching out to take the feather. “Have you come to enact your revenge, to take me back to your kingdom? I’m afraid there isn’t much you can do with me inside of this cage.” His voice was filled with such sorrow that it broke Kylo’s heart.

Ignoring the words of the black wolf, Kylo pulled the mask from his face, drawing a gasp from the young man. “I could never hurt you.” The sound of his voice echoed loudly in the room and startled them both.

As soon as he spoke the guards woke and shouted at seeing him, the alarm sounded, and Kylo was captured. His mask was dropped and lay forgotten as he was taken before the ruler of this kingdom, King Brendol. The king was furious as he stared down at Kylo from atop his throne. Kylo could not help but notice the similarities between the king and the Firebird in his human form.

"Who are you, and where are you from?"

"I am Kylo Ren, youngest apprentice of Supreme Leader Snoke,” Kylo replied.

"How shameful! The apprentice of the Supreme Leader coming to Arkanis to steal!" Spittle flew from King Brendol’s mouth as he shouted.

"That is as may be," Kylo retorted, trying to remain calm, "but your bird flew to the Supreme Leader’s orchard and stole my master’s golden apples."

King Brendol became angrier, but the anger was not directed at Kylo. “That useless boy! I shouldn’t be surprised he turned out to be a thief.” He turned his attention back to Kylo. “If you had come to me and asked, I would have surrendered him to you, to be punished as your Supreme Leader saw fit. But now, you too are a thief, and I will have the world know that this is the behaviour of the Supreme Leader’s apprentice.”

He leaned back to examine Kylo. “And yet, you may earn my forgiveness and accomplish your mission should you enter my service and complete a task for me. To the west there is a kingdom ruled by a certain duke named Dameron. Within that kingdom is a horse with a golden mane. Bring that horse to me, and I will give you the Firebird.”

Kylo raged at the thought of having to undertake such a task but he agreed to it, and went to tell the black wolf what had happened. The wolf was not impressed and said to him, “I told you not to remove your mask or speak to the Firebird. Why did you disobey me?”

“I know I did wrong.” Kylo bowed his head before the wolf. “But, when I saw the young man that is the Firebird trapped in that cage. . .” He could not speak what he had felt to the wolf. “Please, forgive me, black wolf.”

The wolf stared into Kylo’s eyes, into his very soul. “It is easy enough to ask forgiveness," the wolf answered. “Humans are so easily swayed by beauty. All right, get on my back again. We have not yet completed your quest, and will not turn back now."

Once more the black wolf ran off with Kylo on its back; it ran for days until it reached the dukedom where the horse with the golden mane was stabled. Once more, the wolf told Kylo how to succeed in his quest, “Climb over the wall; do not be afraid, the guards are asleep. Go to the stable and bring out the horse, be sure not to startle the horse.”

Kylo did as he was told; he climbed over outer walls, and saw that the guards were asleep. He went straight to the stable and found the horse with the golden mane housed in a stall with a name tag reading ‘Beebee.’ As he opened the gate to lead the horse out. Kylo’s eyes caught sight of a flash of red light through the stable’s window, the sight of it reminding him of the Firebird. He was so distracted, staring, that he did not pay attention to his footing and startled the horse.

An alarm sounded throughout the fortress as soon as Kylo touched the horse’s bridle. The guards awoke and took Kylo prisoner, leading him before Duke Dameron.

“I know you, Ben Solo,” the duke said as he gazed down at Kylo, “Why are you here in my realm trying to steal my prized horse?”

No words passed Kylo’s lips, he refused to speak to a man who had known him as a child. He wished desperately that he had not lost his mask so that he could use it to cover his face and hide from his past.

Duke Dameron sighed, “To attempt to steal a horse shows little wisdom, even a peasant would not try to do that. But I will let you off, Prince Solo, if you agree to enter my service. And contact your mother,” he muttered so only Kylo could hear. “To the north east of here is a small monastery; imprisoned within is a beauty named Armitage. Carry him off and bring him to me, and then I will give you the golden-maned horse on the night of my wedding to him.”

Kylo hung his head, more downcast than when he had been scolded by King Brendol but also angrier; how could he have been so foolish as to not recognize Poe Dameron’s name? When he was released Kylo again went to the black wolf.

The black wolf growled at him; "I told you not to startle the horse, you did not obey my orders."

“Please forgive me black wolf,” Kylo pleaded.

Once again, the wolf said to him, “It is all very well, saying ‘forgive.’ All right, get on my back.”

The black wolf raced off with Kylo on his back until they were in sight of the monastery. The black wolf stopped in front of the doorway to the monastery and shrugged Kylo off of him. “I am not going to send you; I will go myself to fetch the beauty. You will return to Duke Dameron and I will soon catch up with you.”

The look the wolf gave him told him not to protest, and so Kylo chose to obey.

Within the monastery, kept under guard by a group of white armoured men, sat the beautiful Armitage, his eyes trained skyward toward freedom. In his hands was a horrifying mask. The wolf waited until the guards moved to escort Armitage back into the monastery. He saw his chance when Armitage dropped the mask and moved to pick it up. Charging, he flung Armitage onto his back and sprinted off into the forest beyond the monastery.

During this time, Kylo had gotten some distance away, and he looked up when the black wolf caught up to him, shocked when he saw just who was sitting on the creature’s back. The wolf gave him no time to reply, “Quick, get on my back, we cannot delay in case we are pursued.”

As the black wolf ran through the greenest forests and passed the bluest lakes, Kylo felt sorrow as he sat behind Armitage Hux, his arms clasped around the waist of the man who was also the enchanting Firebird that Kylo had been sent to retrieve for Snoke.

“Why are you so silent Kylo Ren? Are you perhaps sad?”

Unable to help himself Kylo buried his face in Armitage’s hair. “Have I no good reason why? The creature I am searching for, the Firebird, and this beautiful young man, they are one and the same and I wish to keep them both!”

“I’m not a bloody possession you know,” Armitage muttered under his breath, causing Kylo to laugh helplessly. “Why are you blubbering? You’re the one who said you wanted to take me back to your Supreme Leader.”

Kylo tightened his arms around Armitage’s waist. “No, I couldn’t now.”

The black wolf, who had been silent until now, spoke up, “I will see to it you are not separated. If you renounce your apprenticeship to Supreme Leader Snoke, I will take you both somewhere safe where you can both be together, forever.”

“For Armitage, I will.”

Appearing satisfied, the black wolf ran far away from everything either Kylo or Armitage had ever known, stopping only when they reached a distant kingdom where the two would be safe. Once there, the wolf laid his head down, exhausted. “This is as far as I can take you, but I will always be with you.”

Saddened, Kylo knelt next to the wolf and stroked its head. “I don’t understand. . . without you, how will we travel?” It wasn’t the question he wished to ask, but he couldn’t voice the sorrow he felt.

There was a jingle from the forest as Kylo’s very own steed, Silencer, came from out of the nearby trees. Kylo rejoiced at seeing him, but he could not help but feel sorrow at being parted from his friend, the black wolf. Turning back to the wolf he said, “I will miss you.”

A smile appeared to stretch across the black wolf’s muzzle, “I will see you soon, young knight; now go.”

With one last look at the wolf, Kylo took Armitage’s hand and helped him onto Silencer. “Come, we still have some way to go.”

“Where will we go?”

Kylo looked toward the sky, remembering the sight of Armitage as the Firebird flying off into the night what felt like so many ages ago. “We will go where the wind takes us.”

They rode together for days until, as they were taking a rest, they were suddenly surrounded by Kylo’s brothers-in-arms, the other Knights of Ren, with their terrible masks.

“Where are you going with the Supreme Leader’s Firebird, Kylo?” Vicrul taunted, and lifted his scythe in a threatening manner. “You are not running away, I hope.”

Pushing Armitage behind him, Kylo drew his blood-red sword as he faced his former brothers. “Stand aside, Vicrul, all of you, and we can part with peace between us.”

Ap'lek raised his axe. “In this there can be no peace. We will take your Firebird and go through you if we have to. One of us here will become the Snoke’s heir, though it looks like it will not be you.”

“Then this will be the end of us as brothers.” Kylo charged forward, swinging at Cardo first, who he knew to use mainly weapons that required range. The other Knights wasted no time in striking back; they would not wait for Kylo to fight them one on one.

The battle was long and bloody. Kylo fought with all his might and was able to kill the men who had once been his family, but at a terrible cost. When the battle was won Kylo collapsed to the ground exhausted and dying.

Armitage screamed his name and ran to his side, falling to his knees and gathering Kylo into his arms. “Please, please, do not leave me! We have only begun our life together!”

Kylo raised a trembling hand and cupped Armitage’s tear-stained cheek. “What little of it we were able to have I do not regret. Go, my precious Firebird, my Armitage! Be free to roam the world, and never return here. Promise me only that you will never forget me.”

“I promise.” Armitage said, his shoulders shaking with sobs. “I could never forget you, my dear, sweet Knight.”

Smiling, Kylo’s eyes closed and his hand fell away from Armitage’s face as his life left him. Armitage screamed into the heavens at his loss. Devastated and heartbroken he remained holding Kylo’s body for hours, days even, until a sound from the woods pulled him out of his sorrow.

Reaching out, Armitage grabbed Kylo’s fallen sword. He was ready to accept death, if that was what came for him, but he would not do so without a fight. He was surprised to find the figure that emerged from the woods was familiar to him.

“It’s you, Kylo’s friend, the black wolf.”

The black wolf came over to nose at Kylo’s cold body. “Yes, it is I, dear Firebird, and I have come to help bring your love back.”

“But how? It is impossible.”

“You are a Firebird, are you not? If you die you are reborn of your own ashes.” The black wolf sat next to Armitage and stared up at him.

Armitage shook his head, petting Kylo’s hair as if the other were only asleep. “I can only bring myself back to life, not others. . .”

At this, the black wolf scoffed, “You do not know much about yourself, it seems, but that is no matter. I will help you bring Kylo Ren back to life, but to do so I will need a single tear from you.”

It seemed such a simple request; however, Armitage had done nothing but cry since Kylo’s death, and he feared he had nothing more. He said as much to the wolf.

“Then we will make you cry.” The black wolf lunged forward and bit Armitage’s upper thigh, causing him to shout in pain.

Grabbing his injured and bleeding leg, Armitage looked at the wolf in shock and betrayal, a single tear sliding down his cheek. “W-why would you do that?”

The black wolf leaned forward and licked up the tear, drinking it as if it were the most precious of liquids. “Because, you needed to cry.” Without waiting for a response, the wolf went over and laid his head on Kylo’s still chest, eyes closing. “Tell Kylo Ren that it has been an honour to serve him.”

As Armitage watched, the wolf’s body disappeared into tiny specks of light that danced in the air until they all sped down toward Kylo's chest, entering into his body. Armitage dared not take a single breath, waiting to see what would happen. When Kylo suddenly took a breath of his own, Armitage wept with joy, finding his tears once again, and threw himself onto Kylo.

Kylo was confused at first, but he took great care in taking Armitage into his arms. “My love, why do you cry so?”

“Please, I will tell you later. I only need you to hold me now.” 

Kylo did as Armitage bade him, pulling away only when he noticed the bleeding wound on the Firebird’s thigh. 

“Do not worry about it, it will heal. Let us get out of here. I cannot stand to remain in this forest one moment longer.”

Despite not understanding what was going on, Kylo agreed, for he sensed that this place was not welcoming for them and wanted to be away from it as soon as possible. He felt weak as he stood, with Armitage’s help, and together they made their way over to Silencer, mounting him and riding away from the dark forest.

Eventually, Armitage would tell Kylo everything: about Kylo’s death, about the black wolf’s sacrifice to bring Kylo back to life, and about the bond that Armitage now felt tying Kylo and himself together forever.

Together they spent their lives travelling the world, seeing many wondrous places, until they decided it was finally time to return home to where it had all begun. They rid the kingdoms of evil men like Supreme Leader Snoke and King Brendol, and combined these kingdoms into one place, where all could live in peace and harmony. And they did so for longer than mankind has memory.


End file.
